{"id":391363,"date":"2025-09-02T07:53:16","date_gmt":"2025-09-02T07:53:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/391363\/"},"modified":"2025-09-02T07:53:16","modified_gmt":"2025-09-02T07:53:16","slug":"your-shortcut-guide-to-formula-1-and-oscar-piastri-as-the-race-to-the-championship-heats-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/391363\/","title":{"rendered":"Your shortcut guide to Formula 1 and Oscar Piastri as the race to the championship heats up"},"content":{"rendered":"

Formula 1 is having a moment \u2014 and so is Oscar Piastri, the Australian driver who has gone from strength to strength all season.<\/p>\n

There are just nine rounds left to decide the next world champion, and Piastri is currently topping the leaderboard by a huge margin.<\/p>\n

If you’re keen to get up to speed, now is the perfect time to strap in.<\/p>\n

We’ll start with the basics. What is Formula 1?<\/p>\n

In technical terms, it’s the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars.<\/p>\n

But in short: build a fast car, put a talented driver behind the wheel and finish first.<\/p>\n

The word “formula” refers to the set of rules and regulations all the teams must follow \u2014 from the design of the car to the size of the engine and more.<\/p>\n

Each race is known as a grand prix<\/strong> and is held in a different location around the world. That’s why F1 can have a “travelling circus” vibe about it.<\/p>\n

\"Ten<\/p>\n

The Formula 1 calendar usually kicks off with the Australian Grand Prix held at Melbourne’s Albert Park. (Reuters: Mark Peterson)<\/p>\n

This year there are a whopping 24 grands prix. With only 52 weeks in a year, it means we’re never too far away from our next race weekend.<\/p>\n

There are also six sprint races<\/strong> scattered throughout the year, which are shorter races with fewer points up for grabs.<\/p>\n

Drivers only win points if they place in the top 10 of a grand prix, with the largest amount of points going to the winner before gradually reducing.<\/p>\nPositionPoints<\/tr>\n\n1st<\/td>\n25<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2nd<\/td>\n18<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n3rd<\/td>\n15<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n4th<\/td>\n12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n5th<\/td>\n10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n6th<\/td>\n8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n7th<\/td>\n6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n8th<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n9th<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n10th<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

The Australian Grand Prix<\/strong> is held at Melbourne’s Albert Park and usually (but not always) kicks off each race season.<\/p>\n

Like previous years, Melbourne will be the first grand prix of the 2026 season, so it holds a special place in the F1 calendar.<\/p>\n

Got it. So who is Oscar Piastri?<\/p>\n

Oscar Piastri is an Australian Formula 1 driver from Melbourne, Victoria who drives for McLaren<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The 24-year-old is currently leading the drivers’ championship after winning the grand prix in China<\/strong>, Bahrain<\/strong>, Saudi Arabia<\/strong>, Miami<\/strong>, Spain, Belgium<\/strong> and the Netherlands.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Oscar<\/p>\n

Oscar Piastri is currently at the top of the leaderboard. (Getty Images: Dan Mullan)<\/p>\n

He also won in Hungary <\/strong>and Azerbaijan<\/strong> in 2024, meaning he’s a nine-time grand prix winner.<\/p>\n

If Piastri retains his lead and finishes the 2025 season with the most points, he will become a Formula 1 world champion.<\/p>\n

If he pulls it off, Piastri will become only the third Australian to win the title, after Jack Brabham<\/strong> (who won three times across the 50s and 60s) and Alan Jones<\/strong>, who won in 1980.<\/p>\n

Piastri is currently mentored by Australian F1 royalty Mark Webber<\/strong>, who won nine grands prix across 12 seasons from 2002 to 2013.<\/p>\n

Next year’s Australian Grand Prix will be extra sentimental for Piastri, with it being announced last month there will be a grandstand named in his honour.<\/p>\n

So Piastri’s the one to beat. But who is his biggest competition?<\/p>\n

His own McLaren teammate \u2014 British driver Lando Norris<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"Lando<\/p>\n

Lando Norris (left) and Oscar Piastri both drive for McLaren. (Getty Images: SOPA Images\/LightRocket\/Jay Hirano)<\/p>\n

While Piastri has won seven grands prix this year, Norris has won five.<\/p>\n

That includes beating Piastri at his home grand prix in Melbourne <\/strong>earlier this year, which left Piastri “obviously very disappointed<\/a>“.<\/p>\n

That means out of the 15 races held so far this season, McLaren has dominated by winning 12.<\/p>\n

Piastri is currently 34 points<\/strong> in front of Norris, but there are nine races to go, so anything could happen.<\/p>\n

Last year neither Piastri or Norris won the drivers’ championship, but their joint performance saw McLaren win their first constructors’ championship <\/strong>since 1998.<\/p>\n

So, they’re a dream team with a lot of drama.<\/p>\n

But they’re a team! How can teammates also be rivals?<\/p>\n

I’m glad you asked.<\/p>\n

The Piastri-Norris rivalry is one of the sport’s biggest storylines of the year, and you can practically hear Netflix’s producers rubbing their hands together as the pair tussle for the top spot.<\/p>\n

It’s not uncommon in F1 for your most ferocious competitor to be your own teammate<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In fact, some of the greatest battles in F1 have been between two teammates going down to the wire.<\/p>\n

But history has shown it can also have dire consequences<\/strong> \u2014 if two teammates are busy fighting each other, another driver from a rival team can snap up the overall championship.<\/p>\n

Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas to return to F1 with Cadillac<\/a><\/p>\n

Former grand prix champions Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas are confirmed as the debut line-up for Formula 1’s new team, Cadillac.<\/p>\n

This exact situation happened in 2007 when McLaren’s drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, lost the drivers’ championship to Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.<\/p>\n

So that’s why, sometimes, teams prefer to have a de facto ‘number one’ and ‘number two’ driver <\/strong>\u2014 whether they publicly announce that hierarchy is a different story.<\/p>\n

In some situations, the number two driver might be asked to step aside to allow the number one driver to score more points.<\/p>\n

McLaren boss Zak Brown has refused to play favourites with Piastri and Norris, telling Sky Sports, “I think it’s going to be a coin toss every weekend”.<\/p>\n

Rivalries aside, who are the other drivers and teams?<\/p>\n

There are currently 10 teams<\/strong> in Formula 1 with two drivers<\/strong> for each team.<\/p>\n

That means if you want to be a driver, there are only 20 jobs, or “seats”, up for grabs.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton (left) now drives for Ferrari while Alex Albon drives for Williams. (AP: Geert Vanden Wijngaert)<\/p>\n

Drivers compete for the drivers’ championship<\/strong> while the teams fight for the constructors’ championship<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The current teams and drivers are:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. McLaren <\/strong>\u2014 Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris<\/li>\n
  2. Ferrari <\/strong>\u2014 Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton<\/li>\n
  3. Mercedes <\/strong>\u2014 George Russell and Kimi Antonelli<\/li>\n
  4. Red Bull Racing<\/strong> \u2014 Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda<\/li>\n
  5. Williams <\/strong>\u2014 Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz<\/li>\n
  6. Kick Sauber <\/strong>\u2014 Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto<\/li>\n
  7. Racing Bulls<\/strong> \u2014 Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar<\/li>\n
  8. Aston Martin<\/strong> \u2014 Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso<\/li>\n
  9. Haas <\/strong>\u2014 Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman<\/li>\n
  10. Alpine <\/strong>\u2014 Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Next year, there will be two big team changes.<\/p>\n

    Cadillac <\/strong>will become the 11th team on the F1 grid, while Kick Sauber will be rebranded as Audi<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    The scarcity of roles, paired with blink-and-you-miss-it speeds and multi-million-dollar contracts make for a lot of drama.<\/p>\n

    Enter: Netflix.<\/p>\n

    Okay, should I commit to watching Drive to Survive?<\/p>\n

    If you’ve read this far, you’ll probably really enjoy it.<\/p>\n

    There are currently seven seasons <\/strong>of the hit Netflix documentary series which has arguably played the biggest part in F1’s booming popularity in recent years.<\/p>\n

    It’s the easiest way to get to know the big personalities which make up the F1 grid, while understanding how the motorsport works overall.<\/p>\n

    \"A<\/p>\n

    The Netflix docuseries has helped Formula 1 reach a wider audience. (Netflix)<\/p>\n

    The series claims to offer viewers “exclusive, intimate access” to the drivers and teams as they each “battle for the heart, soul and direction of the multi-billion-dollar business”.<\/p>\n

    There’s also a bunch of celebrity cameos, and the gorgeous shots of the Italian countryside or the famous views of Monaco aren’t bad either as the teams jet around the world.<\/p>\n

    Netflix has gone on to produce other sports doco-series, including one about tennis (Break Point<\/strong>) and golf (Full Swing<\/strong>) but neither have managed to achieve the runaway success of Formula 1’s Drive to Survive.<\/p>\n

    Okay but do I also need to watch that new F1 movie with Brad Pitt?<\/p>\n

    No.<\/p>\n

    It’s a fictional story where Brad Pitt’s character hops into the driving seat of an F1 car halfway through the season to try and help a struggling team score some points.<\/p>\n

    \"Actor<\/p>\n

    F1 The Movie is chock-full of driver cameos, like this shot of Brad Pitt’s character walking alongside then-Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz. (Getty Images: Ryan Pierse)<\/p>\n

    A couple of big names in F1, such as seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, helped produce the film and it features a bunch of driver cameos \u2014 including a shot where Piastri stands beside Pitt during the national anthem.<\/p>\n

    While some critics thought the plot was predictable<\/a>, the thrilling race sequences are considered a highlight.<\/p>\n

    Where can I watch Formula 1?<\/p>\n

    Formula 1 is available on both Kayo <\/strong>and Foxtel <\/strong>in Australia, which you have to pay for.<\/p>\n

    If you just want to see the best bits of each grand prix, Formula 1 posts a highlights reel on their YouTube <\/strong>channel for free, as well as short clips on Instagram<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    Consider me hooked. How can I keep up to date?<\/p>\n

    ABC Sport<\/strong> brings you all the Formula 1 action with live blogs and analysis, from pre-race drama to post-race synopsis.<\/p>\n

    If you haven’t already, you can download the ABC News app<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>and subscribe to our breaking news and sport alerts<\/strong>, so you don’t miss a minute of the action.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Formula 1 is having a moment \u2014 and so is Oscar Piastri, the Australian driver who has gone…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":391364,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4103],"tags":[63287,15923,5070,17498,13641,4199,66507,997,707,4200,1711,1710,1712,79,16,15,135599,20873],"class_list":{"0":"post-391363","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-f1","8":"tag-australian-grand-prix","9":"tag-brad-pitt","10":"tag-charles-leclerc","11":"tag-drive-to-survive","12":"tag-explainer","13":"tag-f1","14":"tag-f1-the-movie","15":"tag-ferrari","16":"tag-formula-1","17":"tag-formula1","18":"tag-lando-norris","19":"tag-mclaren","20":"tag-oscar-piastri","21":"tag-sports","22":"tag-uk","23":"tag-united-kingdom","24":"tag-what-to-know","25":"tag-world-championship"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115133625698015352","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/391363","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=391363"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/391363\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/391364"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=391363"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=391363"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=391363"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}